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Chapter 190 Red Boy's Surname Isn't Ox

Inside the Moyun Cave on Mount Jilei, Princess Jade Face sat alone on a soft couch inlaid with jewels, her beautiful face clouded with gloom.

Clutching the pearl in her hand, her knuckles turned white, and the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. The Bull Demon King's heartlessness, the rumors, and the Earth God's words intertwined, turning into silent tears that fell like a broken string.

Just then, heavy footsteps, tinged with drunkenness and restlessness, approached from afar and stopped at the cave entrance.

"My beauty, I'm back!"

The Bull Demon King lifted the beaded curtain and strode in, his face still bearing the slight tipsiness and high spirits of the banquet at the Jade Pool. He had intended to share the amusing stories of the feast, but he immediately noticed that Princess Jade Face had her back to him, her shoulders trembling slightly, and he could hear suppressed sobs.

The Bull Demon King's smile froze for a moment, then he forced an even wider grin, leaned forward, and reached out to put his arm around her shoulder.

"Oh dear, my darling, what's wrong? Who upset you? Tell Old Niu, I'll go and break his bones!"

Before his hand could even touch Princess Jade Face's shoulder, she suddenly turned around and shook him off.

She looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. Her carefully applied makeup was slightly smudged, but her eyes no longer held resentment; instead, they held a burning anger and a sharpness born of deep wounds.

"Don't touch me!" Princess Jade Face's voice was trembling with tears, yet unusually sharp.

"Do you even consider me a person anymore? Bull Demon King, you're a heartless bastard."

The Bull Demon King was shaken off and scolded, so his smile faltered, but he still patiently tried to coax her.
"Look at what you're saying! My heart is completely filled with you. Today at Bibo Pool, that Wansheng Old Dragon even tried to give me his ugly daughter as a concubine, but I flatly refused. I said, with you, my beautiful face, I'm content for life, and my heart is set on you..."

"Stop with your sweet talk!" Princess Jade Face wasn't buying it at all. She grabbed a soft pillow and threw it at the Bull Demon King.
"Do you think I'm a three-year-old? You think you're single-minded? What about Cuiyun Mountain? You know perfectly well who you're thinking about!"

The Bull Demon King caught the soft pillow, his brow furrowing. The name Cuiyun Mountain instinctively made him feel troubled. He suppressed his displeasure...

"Why bring up that shrew again? Didn't I tell you, I have nothing to do with her anymore? We've lived separately for so many years, when have I, Lao Niu, ever taken the initiative to contact her? Aren't you just making trouble for yourself?"

"Me, looking for trouble?" Princess Jade Face sneered repeatedly, stood up, walked to the Bull Demon King, and looked up at his rugged face.
"Bull Demon King, put your hand on your heart and tell me, haven't you been secretly transporting the good stuff from your cave to Mount Cuiyun behind my back these past few days? Several large chests made of gilded sandalwood!"

The Bull Demon King's heart skipped a beat, his eyes instinctively darting left and right, but his face immediately contorted into a furious expression of being wronged, and his voice rose an octave.

"Nonsense! This is absolutely slander! Who's gossiping in front of you? My beauty, you can't believe everything you hear. My heart is as clear as day. All those possessions are yours, and I, Old Niu, won't touch a single penny."

He patted his chest, making his armor rattle.

Seeing his eagerness to explain himself, Princess Jade Face's anger strangely subsided, transforming into a cold, all-knowing understanding and deep disappointment.

She took a step back, creating some distance, and her voice, though calm, carried a chilling edge.

"Ha, can heaven and earth bear witness? Bull Demon King, back then I brought my million-dollar fortune to you because I saw your sincerity towards me and thought this was the place where I could entrust my life to. At that time, you were good to me, and I thought we were all family, so I could just turn a blind eye to some minor things."

She paused, looked directly into the Bull Demon King's gleaming eyes, and spoke clearly, word by word.
"But how have you treated me now? You betrayed me! Not only did you betray me, you also lied to me! Even now, you're still here swearing and lying."

The Bull Demon King felt a chill run down his spine under her calm yet powerful gaze, especially the word "deceive," which felt like a needle pricking his face. His anger faltered, his lips twitched, and he forced a smile.

"My beauty, what...what are you talking about? What...what did I lie to you about? Cough! I'll tell you anyway, Red Boy...that kid Red Boy is young and doesn't know any better. He spends money recklessly. I...I was just thinking of giving him some pocket money, but that was only because...because he's my son..."

He tried to steer the conversation toward Red Boy, his tone becoming hesitant and wavering.

Princess Jade Face listened quietly to his sophistry, her face expressionless. Only after he finished speaking did she slowly open her mouth, her voice soft yet sharp as an icicle, instantly piercing through all of the Bull Demon King's pretense.

"Son? Your son?"

A sarcastic smile played on her lips, her eyes icy cold.

"Bull Demon King, have you forgotten what you said yourself? You said that Red Boy's surname isn't Bull at all!"

These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, exploding loudly within the magnificent yet cold Moyun Cave.

The Bull Demon King's expression froze completely. The color drained from his rugged face in an instant. He thought to himself, "Father never told me these things!"
At this moment, the "Bull Demon King" actually felt like crying.

There was no other way, so he could only go up and hug Princess Jade Face, making sure she didn't discover his weakness.

Hmm, it feels good in my hands.

Seeing the Bull Demon King completely choked up, the last glimmer of hope in Princess Jade Face's eyes was extinguished, replaced by a chilling despair.

She abruptly shoved the Bull Demon King away, raised her hand, and fiercely wiped away the tears on her face with her ornate sleeve. Her pitiful sobs instantly turned into sharp, piercing cries.

“Speak up, Bull Demon King! Aren’t you supposed to be eloquent? Why don’t you have so much nonsense when you’re talking to Princess Iron Fan or that bastard? It was me, it was Jade-Faced Fox, who ruined your family’s good time. It was me who stood in your way. I deserve to bring my millions of fortune to fill your bottomless pit. I deserve to be treated like a fool and made to run wild!”

Her voice was like a broken string, with a tearing, sobbing tone, yet every word pierced the heart.

The Bull Demon King was startled by her sudden outburst. Overwhelmed by embarrassment and his own pitiful male pride, he irritated himself, ultimately letting out a heavy sigh filled with deep helplessness.
"Oh, my beauty, look at the mess this has made. I... sigh... after all, it's been two years since I've seen them."

This ambiguous, vague, and evasive statement is like pouring a ladle of cold water into a boiling oil pan.

Princess Jade Face's sobs abruptly ceased. She looked up sharply, her eyes, washed by tears yet now dazzlingly bright, fixed intently on the Bull Demon King, burning with a furious rage and the madness of humiliation.

"Two years? Ha!" She let out a short, sharp laugh, her body trembling slightly with anger.
"Bull Demon King! Stop pretending and being hypocritical. Now, right now, you'd better tell me clearly. Do you want that shrew from Cuiyun Mountain, or me? This Moyun Cave, this home—you have to choose one for me today!"

She took a step forward, her beautiful face devoid of any gentleness, replaced only by an aggressive resolve. Her voice rose, carrying an undeniable pressure.

"If you can't bear to part with your first wife, fine! I, Jade Face, am not that kind of shameless wretch who clings to you! I'll leave right now,"

Seeing that the Bull Demon King didn't react when she said she wanted to leave, she decided to go all out.
"I'm going to Mount Cuiyun! I'll personally ask that Princess Iron Fan why she's clinging to the title of 'Mrs. Niu,' and why she's putting you, this heartless man, in such a difficult position! Today, I'll make sure she stays far away from you!"

Princess Jade Face's words were meant as a threat born of anger, intended to force the Bull Demon King to immediately make a statement to appease her and give her a way out.

She stared intently at the Bull Demon King's face, waiting for him to pounce on her as usual, embrace her, and swear that he loved only her.

However, the Bull Demon King was completely struck by her reckless words about "going to Cuiyun Mountain" and "filial piety," which struck a nerve and touched a nerve.

His face turned ashen, a nameless anger surging within him, mixed with an instinctive fear and a desire to escape from Princess Iron Fan. Instead of pleading softly as usual, he was provoked into a stubborn streak, his neck stiffening, and with a defiant, resigned tone, he grumbled...

"You...you're just being unreasonable! If you want to go, then go! You have legs, do you think I, Old Niu, can stop you?"

These words were like the last straw that broke the camel's back. Princess Jade Face froze instantly. All her anger, grievances, and expectations transformed into a bone-chilling coldness and unbelievable despair. It was as if she was seeing the man before her for the first time truly. There was no pleading, no explanation, only a cold evasion.

"Fine! What a convenient excuse that my legs are my own! You, surnamed Niu, truly are a heartless, treacherous, and ungrateful beast!"

Princess Jade Face's voice went out of control, piercing the cave's ceiling with a sharp, blood-soaked tone, "I, Jade Face, have been blind today! Since you are so ruthless, don't blame me for being unjust!"

She whirled around, her magnificent skirt billowing in a resolute gust of wind. She didn't look at the Bull Demon King again, nor did she utter another tear or tantrum. Like a whirlwind carrying hail, she charged straight out of the Moyun Cave.

……

Outside the Moyun Cave, the Yellow Wind Monster frowned, staring at the tightly closed cave door. He wondered if the little monk's disguise as the Bull Demon King would give him away. Then, remembering something else, he spoke in a muffled voice, his voice tinged with doubt.
"Brother Chen, I've never asked before, but why do you have a little monk with you? What's your connection with Buddhism?"

Chen Guangrui gazed calmly towards the cave entrance, offering no further explanation, only saying...
"It must be due to a great karmic connection with Buddhism."

Upon hearing this, the Yellow Wind Monster's eyes widened, and he instinctively took a half-step back.

"What? A major karmic debt? Brother, don't scare me. You know I have a grudge against those bald monks, so you take him with you..."

“He also has some grudges with the Buddhist community, but the Buddhist community may not know about it yet,” Chen Guangrui explained calmly.

Huang Fengguai scratched his messy hair, his face clearly saying "I don't understand." But he still nodded and muttered, "Fine, as long as we have a grudge."

Chen Guangrui turned back to look at Huang Fengguai, his eyes becoming serious.

"I'll ask you one more time, Lao Huang. Now that things have come to this point, if you really get the Banana Leaf Fan, the pilgrimage group really won't be able to cross the Flaming Mountains. At that time, the Buddhist sect will be furious. Aren't you afraid?"

Upon hearing this, the Yellow Wind Monster showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, he grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and let out a short, cold laugh.

"Afraid? Let them come looking for trouble. The Ehuangfeng act with integrity and have nothing to fear! Three hundred years ago..."

He seemed to remember something, abruptly stopping his words, and simply let out a heavy snort, "Hmph, since it's all about cause and effect, even Buddhism might not be able to really do anything to me."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Tang Sheng's small figure, his tone tinged with a mixture of teasing and disbelief.

"Speaking of which, Brother Chen, your underhanded tricks... cough, you really have a lot of methods. You actually managed to get such a tiny little kid to impersonate the Bull Demon King? This... this can't possibly work. Can a six-year-old really handle that Jade-Faced Fox?"

There seemed to be a very faint smile on Chen Guangrui's lips.

"Didn't you just see how his eyes lit up when he heard he was going to play the Bull Demon King? He was so excited."

Yellow Wind Monster shook his head, clearly still finding the whole thing too unbelievable. "Well, he is excited, but it seems like he's after the Jade-Faced Fox..."

His words stopped abruptly.

boom!
The heavy cave entrance was suddenly slammed open by a powerful force.

A verdant figure, imbued with icy rage, shot out of the cave like an arrow—it was Princess Jade Face.

Her exquisite and beautiful face was now contorted with anger, her tears still wet, but her eyes were like poisoned knives.

She didn't even glance outside the cave. Riding a chilling, fragrant breeze, she soared straight into the sky without looking back, vanishing instantly into the northeastern sky. Her resolute posture suggested she was abandoning everything about Mount Jilei completely.

Yellow Wind Monster's mouth was slightly open as he looked in the direction where Princess Jade Face had disappeared, then looked back at Chen Guangrui, who had a calm expression, before finally fixing his gaze on the cave entrance.

For the first time, a look of complete submission appeared on his rugged face. He didn't say anything more, but simply nodded vigorously.

It's done!
No sooner had Princess Jade Face left than a small head peeked out from the entrance of Moyun Cave.

Tang Sheng had returned to her original appearance, her little face still showing signs of shock and lingering fear, and her eyes were red.

When he saw Chen Guangrui, he immediately ran over as if he had seen a savior, his short legs clapping as he grabbed Chen Guangrui's leg, his voice trembling with tears.
"Dad, there are some things you didn't tell me! I almost gave myself away!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Guangrui sensed something was amiss and, along with Huang Fengguai, crouched down.
"What is it?" Chen Guangrui asked, his voice steady.

Tang Sheng sniffed, wiped his face, and immediately regained some of his clever little devil appearance. He began to recount what happened in the cave, focusing on Princess Jade Face's crying and his way of dealing with it.

However, he didn't mention at all that he had secretly taken advantage of that vixen.

Then, he lowered his voice, his little face filled with the excitement of sharing a shocking secret, and said, word by word, "Dad, Uncle Huang Feng, here's the important part. That fox spirit, Princess Jade Face, pointed at me and asked, 'Bull Demon King! Have you forgotten what you said yourself? You said that Red Boy's surname isn't Niu at all!'"

Tang Sheng briefly recounted what happened inside Moyun Cave, emphasizing the Jade-Faced Fox's line, "Red Boy's surname is not Niu."

boom!
These words struck Chen Guangrui and Huang Fengguai like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

The two of them froze on the spot.

The Yellow Wind Monster's eyes, as big as copper bells, were wide open, and his mouth was agape enough to fit a duck egg. His face was filled with disbelief and astonishment, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the Three Realms.

Chen Guangrui's usually calm face showed a rare expression of great shock, and his pupils contracted sharply. His squatting posture seemed to freeze, and his mind raced like lightning.

Red Boy... doesn't have the surname Niu?

What's your surname?
An extremely bold, even absurd, idea suddenly rushed into Chen Guangrui's mind, instantly making him think of some unbelievable possibility.

The one in the Tushita Palace seems to have a loose belt, and there's also Red Boy's fire-controlling ability, and Princess Iron Fan's almost instinctive awe and submission to the name "Taishang Laojun"...

Yes, and there's also the origin of the banana leaf fan.

All these scattered clues seemed to be ignited instantly by the phrase "not surnamed Niu," exploding in his mind and pointing to a shocking answer.

No wonder the Bull Demon King doesn't go home; he's got a green grassland on his head!

Damn it, this old man's belt is still so loose?
With this guess, Chen Guangrui cursed Laozi in his heart, no, he cursed him repeatedly.

Of course, he felt that this might not be true, but it just seemed somewhat similar.

However, even as he was still spreading rumors about Laozi in his mind,
A loud, familiar yet rough voice suddenly came from the dense forest behind them, and at the same time, an orange peel flew over.
"Chen Guangrui! I've finally found you!"

(End of this chapter)